The Bourbon Balsamic "Mule"

If you liked the Bourbon Balsamic Pot Roast recipe made with Lowcountry Olive Oil's "Bourbon Balsamic Vinegar", this cocktail was made to pair perfectly with that dish.  Oh, you think its weird to use vinegar in cocktails?  I'd like to enlighten you on 'shrubs' and their use in cocktails since the 1600's, but I feel like this topic is ripe for a future blog post, all in itself, so it will have to wait (I have to keep you interested somehow).  I'd like you to consider this, when a craft cocktail is made, your bartender will usually find that perfect balance between the flavor profile between the liquor/spirit and its supporting cast: sweetness, acidity, bitterness, spiciness.... the list goes on, and on.  Finding this perfect harmony in a cocktail takes a bit of skill and heck of a lot of creativity.  I guarantee you half of the cocktails today would not exist if it were not for the daring minds of mixologists throughout the last few centuries. balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail

Now, I want you to note the adjectives I just described and think about what would go into a Moscow Mule -- vodka, lime juice and ginger beer (aka spirit, acidity/tartness and sweetness).  Part of the fun of crafting cocktails is taking a base and playing around with different spirits, while trying to maintain the same flavors using various ingredients.  In this case, we will be using Michter's Small Batch bourbon instead of vodka, Lowcountry Olive Oil's "Bourbon Balsamic Vinegar" instead of lime juice (for acidity) and ginger beer instead of ginger beer.  This specific bourbon infused balsamic vinegar will enhance the flavor of the bourbon while still providing that acidity you'd usually find in citrus.  Not to mention, vinegar has a flavor property on the palate that almost makes this drink 'thirst quenching' -- so don't be surprised when you're left wanting more!

Yield: 1 cocktail

Ingredients

  • 2.5 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
  • .25 oz balsamic vinegar (I used "Bourbon Balsamic Vinegar" by Lowcountry Olive Oil)
  • 1 can of Gosling's ginger beer (I use the Diet kind because I'm trying to watch my figure and I think it tastes just as good)
  • 2 sprigs of basil
  • Ice cubes for shaking and serving

Other Tools

  • Cocktail shaker
  • Barspoon
  • Jigger
  • Rocks glass

balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail

Instructions

  • Place your ice into the cocktail shaker.balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail
  • Add your whiskey of choice.balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail
  • Add the "Bourbon Balsamic Vinegar" - regular balsamic vinegar will do too.balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail
  • Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds, make sure you have your crystal clear ice sphere in your rocks glass, waiting.balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail
  • Pour this mixture over your ice.balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail
  • Top with Gosling's ginger beer and mix with your barspoon.
  • Garnish with basil leaves.balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail
  • Serve and enjoy!balsamic bourbon ginger beer cocktail

    • By the way, in case you missed it, here is my interview with Lowcountry Olive Oil's Jason and Laurie Benjamin!

    Cocktails, WhiskeyMiguelbalsamic, bourbon, cocktail, ginger beer, RyeComment